“A follower…” Nyra mused, her brows crinkled. “I’m assuming you don’t mean in the general sense of the word?”

My lips twitched. “No, I’m referring to what the Game terms followers.” I paused. “A follower is a player who binds themselves to another… player.”

Despite my resolve to be open with Nyra, I couldn’t tell her everything. For one, if I told her I was a Power—even if only an Initiate one—she’d likely run screaming. And for another, I still didn’t truly believe I was one myself. Not yet.

“And why would any player do such a thing?” Nyra asked. “Bind themselves to another, I mean.”

I shrugged. “For many reasons. But in your case, I will offer you attribute points. You remember what I told you about them?”

She nodded.

“For context, a level one player begins the Game with only two attribute points. I will give you thirty.”

Her eyes widened. “And what do you want in exchange?”

“Your pledge of loyalty,” I said bluntly. “To me personally. If you agree to become my follower, the Game will enact a Pact between us.” I’d explained what a Pact was to her earlier and didn’t do so again. “The Pact will require you to follow my orders. In return, I will pledge to equip you, help you advance in the Game, and finally protect you from the Game’s Powers—and if I can’t do that, avenge you.”

I held her gaze. “This next bit is important, so listen carefully. The Pact is not irrevocable. You retain your free will and can break it, but if you do so, the Adjudicator—not me—will exact a price, and I warn you, it will be steep.”

Falling silent, I watched Nyra intently, waiting to see what she made of my offer.

She took her time, thinking it through. “I understand what I can get out of this… deal, but what is in it for you? Why take on a level one player as a follower—one ignorant of the Game, too! Surely, there are more suitable players out there?”

I chuckled, but my amusement was only fleeting. “Actually, there are not. Trust, you will learn, is a rare commodity in the Game. And there are not many I dare trust.”

I paused, reflecting on how to phrase what I needed to. “You see, Nyra, I’m not just any player. What I am—and I will not explain fully what that is right now—is a player who is anathema to most of the Game’s Powers. They will kill me and any who follow me just for what I represent. So, before making your decision, understand that tying your fate to mine will likely mean being hunted—ruthlessly.”

Surprisingly, Nyra laughed. “That, at least, is something I’m already familiar with.”

“You’ve convinced her,” Ghost declared with a prodigious yawn.

I smiled. “Then, have you decided?”

Nyra inclined her head. “I have. I will become your follower… Michael.”

✵ ✵ ✵

“Excellent,” I said with a heartfelt smile. “Then the first step is to take up your Class.”

Nyra turned back to the four stones awaiting her on the table, and I could almost see the question running through her mind: a spy, a sniper, a spellslinger, or a sharpshooter. Which was best?

This time, Nyra didn’t deliberate over her options. Reaching down, she plucked up one of the stones and glanced at me. “Now what?”

“Will your choice to the Adjudicator,” I replied.

Her brows furrowed in consternation, but I knew she’d done what I asked because a second later, the bronze marble disappeared from her open palm.

Nothing about Nyra changed, not visually, anyway.

But I knew everything had. She was a player now, irrevocably and forevermore. Curious to learn her choice, I reached out and analyzed her.

The target is Nyra, a level 1 human sniper. She is a player and bears no Marks.

My eyebrows rose. “Well, well, a sniper. I admit I’m surprised. I really thought you’d go with the spellslinger or sharpshooter.”

“Why’s that?” she asked absently, her eyes turned inward as she read through the Game messages that were probably still unfurling in her mind.

I smiled. “Magic is hard to resist—in any form.”

She focused on me. “They tempted me, I admit. But in the end, I found the idea of dealing death from afar while safe and hidden more attractive.”

I laughed. “I know what you mean.”

She squinted at me. “You don’t look any different, though. I thought...”

“You thought you’d be able to tell other players on sight?”

She nodded.

“You will. First, though, you’ll need to obtain the trait, Marked—which you will soon enough.” She opened her mouth, more questions on the tip of her tongue, no doubt, but I waved her to silence. “I’m sure there’s much more you want to know, and I promise I’ll tell you what I can. But later.” I glanced at the door.

Algar and Horlick hadn’t reappeared, but they had to be getting impatient. “Shall we finish up before we’re interrupted?”

She nodded, knowing what I meant but looking only slightly anxious at the prospect.

“Good, then let’s begin,” I said, more than a little nervous myself.

I was about to take on my first follower. In some ways, doing so would be no different than becoming the alpha of the arctic wolves. Like I had with them, I would be pledging to protect and aid Nyra.

But in other ways, what I did today was different.

This time, the Game itself would be involved. And in a very real sense, this would be my first official act as a Power. Only Powers could form Pacts. And here I was about to create one.

There would be no denying what I was after this.

Seeming to feel the weight of the occasion as I did, Ghost rose to all fours and stood stiffly at attention. Inclining my head one last time to Nyra—whether the gesture was meant to reassure her or me, I wasn’t quite sure—I closed my eyes and reached out to the Adjudicator.

Initiating a Pact between Wolf Lord Michael and the player Nyra…

✵ ✵ ✵

Finalizing the wording of the Pact took longer than expected.

The concept of a follower Pact was simple enough to understand, but the details were more difficult to iron out, especially since the Pact could be tailored differently for each follower.

It took several iterations, but eventually, Nyra and I reached consensus on a Pact whose terms both us and the Adjudicator found agreeable.

You have formed a follower Pact with the player, Nyra.

She will unquestioningly obey all your commands in battle. Outside of combat, Nyra will retain greater autonomy but must still obey any directives you issue. These include a call to arms, truces, and any declaration of friends and foes.

In exchange, you pledge to protect and aid Nyra against other Powers and any enemies of your chosen faction. Additionally, you will grant Nyra a boon of 30 attribute points.

This Pact will terminate once Nyra reaches level 249.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Opening my eyes, I exhaled slowly. “There. It is done.”

Nyra tugged at her hair doubtfully. “It is? I don’t feel any different.”

I shook my head. “You won’t. As I said, the Pact will not impinge on your will. You may break it if you wish, so long as you are prepared to accept the Game’s punishment.”

Then, too, the commitments I’d asked Nyra to make were not onerous. Outside of a few carefully selected obligations, Nyra was free to play the Game as she desired. It was no less than I would’ve wanted had our positions been reversed.

Surprisingly, it was the Pact’s termination clause that the Adjudicator had found most objectionable. I was not sure why that was the case, but perhaps it was because what I attempted was non-standard. I couldn’t imagine many follower Pacts being created with one attached.

I’d tried wording the termination clause differently to account for Nyra’s possible evolution at some point, but the Game would not accept any variation I put forward, and in the end, I had to define the termination point in the simplest way possible: by Nyra’s level.

At level two-hundred and fifty, Nyra could potentially become a Powerful Initiate, and I was the last person who was going to rob her of the opportunity of doing so—assuming she got that far—hence the Pact’s automatic termination at level two hundred and forty-nine.

I couldn’t say for certain that being my follower would prevent Nyra from becoming a Power—after all, followers and Sworn were different, and technically, Nyra was still unSworn—but until I knew for certain the differences between the two, I wasn’t going to risk compromising her.

“What’s this bit about ‘chosen faction?’” Nyra asked. She’d been intently reading the Pact while I’d been lost in thought, I noted—which was a good thing. I didn’t want her to take her responsibilities lightly.

“I’ve yet to join or create one,” I replied. “It is another matter we must discuss later.”

“If you say so,” she muttered, clearly overwhelmed. She glanced at the door. “Now what?”

“There are two more things we must do before we can rejoin the others.” I paused. “Three, actually.”

Saying nothing, she waited for me to go on.

“First, there is the matter of your attribute points. We must deal with that before the Pact can be fully sealed.”

Turning my attention inward, I checked my player status and, specifically, my attribute ranks.

You have 0 attribute points available.

Strength: 15. Constitution: 19. Dexterity: 71. Perception: 56. Mind: 117. Magic: 43. Faith: 0.

Bequeathing three of my hard-earned attributes to another was going to hurt, but there was no doubt—given the conversion ratio—they would better serve Nyra than me. And I had come to the decision that if I was going to all the trouble of recruiting followers, it served my interest to make them as strong as possible.

And truly, thirty free attributes would be game-changing for a level one player like Nyra, whereas the loss of three attributes would hardly impact me at all.

So, what to cut? I wondered, studying my attributes.

Magic, I decided after a moment.

Of all my attributes, Magic was the area where I had the greatest surplus. Yes, it powered my void armor, and yes, Ghost would need it for her own abilities, but lowering Strength and Constitution would weaken the pyre wolf even more, and Dexterity, Perception, and Mind were too important to my own abilities to compromise.

It had to be Magic.

On that note, I willed my intent to the Game.

Your Magic has decreased to rank 40.

Commander ability triggered. 3 attributes have been transferred to Nyra in the form of 30 attribute points.

Your Pact with Nyra has been sealed, and she has been sworn into your service as a follower. Total followers: 1 / 100.

As a result of her new status, Nyra’s spirit signature has been etched with a new Mark. She now bears the Mark of Michael!

Congratulations, Michael, you have bound your first follower and have accomplished the feat: The First of Many! Requirement: attain your first follower. As a reward, you have been awarded 1 Class point.

I stared at the Adjudicator’s messages with a half-strangled expression. The free Class point was certainly welcome. But Nyra’s new Mark was… troubling.

Not to mention revealing.

I’d feared something like this, though. Now, I could only hope my plan for dealing with it would work.

“Wow,” Nyra exclaimed. She, too, had no doubt been inundated with Game alerts. “What do I do with all these attribute points?” she whispered.

“If you want my advice, you will invest twenty in Perception, five in Strength, and five in Dexterity,” I said.

She glanced at me. “Not that I’m disagreeing, but why so much in Perception?”

“Perception is the governing attribute of your longbow skill. The higher it is, the easier you will be able to pick out and hit your targets. And if we’re going to stand any chance of leveling you up in Draven’s Reach, you will need the added boost it provides you.” Withdrawing an object from my backpack, I placed it on the table. “Also, there is this.”

The target is the rank 5 longbow: quaker. It increases the damage you deal by 50%. Additionally, all arrows fired from this bow will bear the enchantment: paralyzing touch. Any target hit that fails a physical resistance check is stunned for 3 seconds. This item requires a minimum Perception of 20 to wield.

Nyra stared at the weapon in fascination. “Is that as nice a bow as I think it is?”

“Quaker is a bit more than nice.” I smiled wryly. “Certainly, it’s much better than anything I ever had when I started off. Invest in Perception, and you will be able to use it. The added Strength and Dexterity should also make drawing and firing the bow easier.”

Nyra’s hand moved hesitatingly to the weapon, then paused. “It’s for me?” she asked incredulously.

I nodded. “I found the bow early on in Draven’s Reach. Unfortunately, it’s nearly the only piece of equipment I have that is suitable for you. It’s yours now.” I grinned. “But only if you want it.” I had no doubt that she would, though.

“Thank you,” she said fervently, closing her hands around the bow. “And I will do as you advise with my attributes.”

“Good. That takes care of the second thing.”

“What’s the last thing?”

I inhaled. “Concealing your new Mark—if we can.”

Her brows creased. “You mean this ‘Mark of Michael’ thing?”

I nodded.

“What is it?” she asked, still sounding confused.

“It’s a spirit signature and will let every player you come in contact with know that you’re my follower, which for many reasons is not ideal and not something I wish for.”

She nodded slowly. “How do we hide it?”

“Like this,” I said, laying a hand on her and willing my intent to the Game.

Commander ability triggered.

Do you wish to pass on your secret blood trait to your follower, Nyra?

“Yes,” I said aloud.

Analyzing player…

Shifting impatiently, I waited.

“What’s going on?” Nyra whispered.

“The Adjudicator is checking your bloodlines,” I replied absently.

“My bloodlines?”

“It’s your—” I began, then broke off as more alerts scrolled through my mind.

Analysis complete.

The player Nyra’s blood is unawakened, and she is unbound to any House. She carries 17 bloodline strains, one of which is of Wolf. You may pass on the secret blood trait to your follower.

Note that doing so will not awaken her blood. In order for Nyra to acquire blood memories of her own, she will have to undergo a blood awakening.

Do you still wish to proceed?

My shoulders sagged in relief. I hadn’t been certain that granting secret blood to Nyra would work, but after I had learned that the Adjudicator had told her to find me, I’d suspected that the odds were better than even that she had some measure of wolf blood. The Game didn’t do anything without reason, and the Adjudicator’s tasks, I’d long begun to suspect, were a subtle means of guiding players.

Still, I had gambled. Correctly, it turned out.

Now, to find out just how this works. Willing my answer to the Game’s question, I waited.

Nyra has been awarded the trait: secret blood (lesser). As a weaker variant of secret blood, this trait will only hide a single aspect of Nyra’s ancient lineage—her Marks. Players and Powers alike will be deceived. The effects of this trait are untraceable and permanent. However, it will only apply to her Marks.

“It worked!” Laughing in delight, I glanced at Nyra. Her eyes were unfocused again.

“So many messages,” she murmured.

“Don’t worry about them,” I said, still grinning. “They’re only informing you that no one will be able to see your Mark of Michael anymore.”

She frowned. “You’re sure? What about this bit about becoming a ‘wolf-friend?’”

My grin faded. “What?”

She glanced sideways at Ghost. “Is that because of her?” she asked doubtfully. “Because somehow I don’t think we’re friends yet.”

Ghost’s ears perked up. “Prime, she’s not lying! She has the Wolf Mark. I can see it.”

For a second, I could only stare at Nyra and Ghost in shock. Nothing I had done should have granted Nyra the Wolf Mark—so why had she received it? And it was not that I doubted Ghost, but I had to be certain. Reaching out with my will, I analyzed Nyra again.

The target is Nyra, a level 1 human sniper. She is a player and bears a Mark of Michael (hidden) and a Mark of Wolf (hidden).

Note that only you and others who follow you can see Nyra’s Mark of Michael.

“You’re right, Ghost,” I murmured, “but I don’t know why—”

The arrival of yet more Game messages interrupted me.

Your follower, Nyra, has completed the hidden task, Join the Wolves, and has received the Mark, Wolf-friend.

Your follower has accomplished the feat, Play the Game, and has received the trait, Marked.

“Ah,” I exhaled.

It seemed Nyra was destined to be more firmly bound to House Wolf than even I had anticipated. Something we’d done must have triggered the completion of a hidden task for Nyra.

“You know what all this means?” she asked, correctly interpreting my reaction.

I nodded, then sighed. “I do, but explaining it is going to take a lot longer.” I headed for the door. “Come on, I’ll explain on the way.”

“Where are we going?” she asked, hurrying to catch up.

“To find something to kill.” I glanced at her over my shoulder. “Preferably without you dying in the process.”